


Inheritors of Song

by Xandad



Category: Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu | Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, the character tags will expand so this aint the whole cast dont worry, there's a fuckn Band my dudes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-02
Updated: 2018-09-24
Packaged: 2019-05-17 07:27:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14827991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xandad/pseuds/Xandad
Summary: Howdy! It's been a while since I've done literally anything productive on this account, and this fic idea is just something I've wanted to churn out for a while.So, it's an FE4 fic that takes place in the modern era, starting with the premise that Sigurd, Eldigan, Quan, and Arvis are all grouped up in a band together. The setting of Jugdral will moreso be like a state or providence, with all the locations (Verdane, Agustria, Silesse, etc) being towns or cities. Also, 90's.Sorry that this chapter just has so much dialogue, it's mostly to set up the main four characters here, and accustom to the setting.Odds are this'll be updated weekly (on Saturdays hopefully), so that's neat.[Sidenote: "Holy Knight" references the prologue song, Birth of a Holy Knight. Since this fic'll be so music centric, there will be a lot of references to the OST of the game. "Weissritter" also references the knights of Grannvale in-game]





	1. Birth of an Era

"Hey guys, let me in! I got some awesome news!"

Over the sounds of tuning guitars, and an antsy drummer tapping his percussive set, the shouting voice was heard loud and clear, as well as the thumping of an excited hand on a wooden door.

The cheery voice belonged to none other than Sigurd, lead guitar and a key part of the vocals for the group. For him to be shouting through the door with such claims, it's never a good idea to just keep him caged out. So, naturally, someone has gotten the door to the studio apartment unlocked and ready to let the man in. 

"Well, if it has you this amped up, this news better be as awesome as you're making it out to be," says Eldigan, the man to answer the door, and also the bass guitarist for the gang. He shoots Sigurd a sly grin before retreating into the apartment, where the other members await. 

The only other two souls in this area are those of Arvis, the second guitarist, and Quan, the percussion. For now, both of them have on thing in common, and that's looking at Sigurd like deer in the headlights. Eldigan soon takes a seat in-between the other two, leaving Sigurd the only one standing. From the looks of it, their lead guitar has too much pent up energy to even think about sitting down. 

"Well..?" asks Arvis, who rests his head on his hand, looking not enthused, despite the apparently exciting circumstance. 

"Well, all I can say is that we got ourselves a gig!" exclaims Sigurd, who puts a fist in the sky to express his excitement even moreso. This news is enough to get the other three men to perk up, as this particular news is something they've been waiting to hear for the past few months. 

"No fucking way!" exclaims Quan, who nearly jumped out of his chair at the announcement, "when is it, 'cause I've been wanting to bang out these tunes for months. Another day of just sitting here is gonna kill me, dude." Leave it to the drummer to be the most impatient of the group. 

"It's next Saturday, at the Genoa Theater in Verdane," says Sigurd, who has gone to grab himself a chair to sit on.

"Next Saturday," Quan says, a small smile creeping onto his face, "but I had a hot date with Ethlyn scheduled for next Saturday." 

"You know, if you were as passionate as you just made yourself look, Quan, you would have kept dates with Sigurd's sister on a day-by-day basis," states Arvis, who seems to be snickering at his own remark.

"I'd also prefer you never use my sister and the words 'hot date' in the same sentence ever again Quan, or else I might have to bust your ass," says Sigurd, his wide smile now turned into a disgusted frown. 

"Sigurd's sister aside, this is great for us," says Eldigan, who has been chuckling at the banter thus far, "it's finally a chance to get Weissritter on the map."

Weissritter, the band that these four have been putting together for years. What started as a high school garage band for the quartet, slowly developed into the primary focuses of their lives. A studio apartment, amps and stereos, instruments, etc. are all investments the four of them have made to further their dream. Their hivemind shares the same vision: to be under the stagelights in front of a roaring crowd. To have their names etched into the vast encyclopedia of music itself. It's a large commitment, but it's their passion to share, and they're willing to make any sacrifices to see it through.

"Even if it's in a dump like Verdane," says Arvis, who kicks out the front legs of his chair to lean against the wall, "if there's one thing we should do, its replace that hick town's love for country with good ol' rock 'n roll." 

"One thing at a time, Arvis," states Eldigan, who now starts to turn attention to his bass guitar. He was in the midst of tuning the thing earlier, but of course getting an opportunity to properly use it took priority. 

"So, Sigurd, what do you think our program should be?" asks Quan, who has since returned to his seat, his tone way more composed than before. 

Obviously, a band cannot perform without having the music to do so. For them, they've only made a small collection of songs, yet each member knows their parts from beginning to end. If there were any hiccups upon performance time, surely Eldigan would ride everyone's ass about it.

"Well," mumbles Sigurd, who rises out of his chair and begins to walk towards his guitar case, "I was thinking of starting with Holy Knight and... that's about it really."

"Y'know what I say?" interjects Arvis, who has since put his chair down and grabbed his own guitar, "let's play what we got now, and the music itself will tell us what wants to be played. It's fucking rock 'n roll, that's as free-form as it gets." 

"Sounds good to me," says Eldigan, who eyes Sigurd as the other man walks to his seat with his instrument, "after all, we got plenty of time til then to get this all sorted out." 

Instead of responding to anything happening around him, Sigurd has focused on tuning his guitar. All things considered, this is his most prized possession. Compared to the other instruments in the band, Sigurd's guitar will never see a day without being cleaned or given a new coat of paint. When it's in his hands, he can't help but synchronize with it, and have his mind wander into a different realm entirely.

"Oh, fellas, Sigurd's got that look in his eyes again," says Quan quietly, pointing a finger at their lead guitarist eyeing up his instrument. The other two men practically giggle, because everyone in this room is oh-so familiar with his habits. 

Rather then snap Sigurd out of his immediate trance, the other men focus on fine-tuning their equipment for the next few minutes. As good of friends that the men are, the sessions where they all must keep their pipes shut just to make sure everything sounds right will never stop being awkward. It's hell especially for Quan, considering that he's the drummer. Once the sounds of strings playing out-of-key chords finally stops, Arvis is the first to break the silence. 

"I'm ready to go, everyone else fine?" he asks, looking dead on between Eldigan and Sigurd. Both Eldigan and Sigurd look at each other and give a nod, signalling that they're more than ready.

"Oh thank God, just sitting here watching you guys ogle your guitars again was going to drive me nuts," says Quan, who has equipped his drumsticks. 

"Let's start with Holy Knight, like Sigurd pointed out earlier," says Eldigan, bringing the bass into his lap.

"Alright..." whispers Sigurd, who takes a deep breath afterwards.

"One, two, and a one two three!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy! It's been a while since I've done literally anything productive on this account, and this fic idea is just something I've wanted to churn out for a while.
> 
> So, it's an FE4 fic that takes place in the modern era, starting with the premise that Sigurd, Eldigan, Quan, and Arvis are all grouped up in a band together. The setting of Jugdral will moreso be like a state or providence, with all the locations (Verdane, Agustria, Silesse, etc) being towns or cities. Also, 90's. 
> 
> Sorry that this chapter just has so much dialogue, it's mostly to set up the main four characters here, and accustom to the setting. 
> 
> Odds are this'll be updated weekly (on Saturdays hopefully), so that's neat. 
> 
> [Sidenote: "Holy Knight" references the prologue song, Birth of a Holy Knight. Since this fic'll be so music centric, there will be a lot of references to the OST of the game. "Weissritter" also references the knights of Grannvale in-game]


	2. Humble Beginnings

"Well, leave it to you to get us here early," says Sigurd, stepping out from the passenger's seat of the sportscar Eldigan drove them both in.

"Of course, do you think I'm going to let Quan and Arvis beat us here in the van?" he says, also taking his leave. 

The duo have arrived at their destination of the Genoa Theater in Verdane, at least the outside of the building. It's nothing too extravagant, due to the town of Verdane itself being short on funds at all times. However, the consensus among the members is that beggars cannot be choosers, and that a small theater without high grade equipment will have to do for now. 

"I can't say I feel bad for them," Sigurd says, retreating to the back of the car to open the trunk, "having to hit all those potholes with the drum set in the back."

"Leave it to Verdane to be in construction season," Eldigan states, leaning against the roof of the car, awaiting Sigurd's retrieval. 

Sigurd would pull out two guitar cases, one a bass, one an electric. Through some sort of miracle, or perhaps lead vocalist and guitarist privilege, Sigurd was able to convince Quan and Arvis to take an old van while this gang was able to ride in Eldigan's own, nicer vehicle. In all honesty, the blue-haired rockstar just wanted to chill with Eldigan for now, and doesn't want to get tinnitus from something not called his own riffs. He hands Eldigan his bass, and takes his own guitar in tow, the two comfortably strolling towards the backstage of the theater's entrance. The two meet up with the door, only for it to be locked. Before one could open their mouth about the situation, the door cracks wide open, only the head of a man poking through.

"Hey," says the man, who slowly opens the door to reveal his full body. He seems pretty unkempt for someone meant to be managing a big show, sporting a white bandanna, a brown tanktop, and some grey sweatpants with some cigarette holes in them. 

"Which one of you is..." mumbles the man, who shuffles a piece of paper around, the sound of crinkling circling the awkward air, "Sigurd Chalphy?"

"You're lookin' right at him," Sigurd says, rubbing the back of his neck. He glances to the side to look at Eldigan, the other man obviously sharing the same level of unease and discomfort as him. He said it earlier, 'it's a start,' but this start is already on the path towards being rocky. 

"Ah, good," states the man, who outstretches his hand towards the two, "name's Jamke, I'll be managing you guys for now, I'm sure you probably heard from one of my brothers." Before Sigurd can go and shake Jamke's hand, Eldigan has him beat to it. Eldigan, also, looks to be sporting the most phony smile Sigurd's ever seen him make. 

"Pleasure to meet you, Jamke, I'm Eldigan," he says, giving Jamke the firmest handshake he can muster, "soon enough you'll meet Quan and Ar-"

Soon enough was pretty accurate, as the two band members in mention would come cluttering by in a van whose months left are countable on one hand. The vehicle chugs into the parking lot, the faint sound of cymbals clanging accompanying it. The driver, Quan in this case, takes his sweet time parking the van, putting it uncomfortably close to a certain, more expensive vehicle. Once parked, Quan and Arvis ceremoniously hop out, the latter immediately doing some stretches. 

"See man, what'd I tell ya, my detours got us here way quicker," says Quan, walking towards his other bandmates with a cocky smile on his face.

"Your 'detours' involved a u-turn that nearly got us a night in jail," states Arvis, with just about an opposite expression on his face. He's equipped with his instrument, almost looking as if he'd been snuggling it the whole ride. Soon enough, Arvis follows suit, not trying to catch up too quickly. 

Jamke would look at the two with an expression of utter disbelief. Ironically, the guy who looks like he just rolled out of bed in a drug rehab clinic is judging this gaggle of musicians for one of their modes of transport. 

"Soooo, what'd we miss?" asks Quan, putting his hands on his hips. 

"Yeah, and whose the bum?" asks Arvis in rapid succession, his finger pointed straight towards Jamke. As soon as 'bum' flies out of Arvis' mouth, Eldigan flinches as if a punch was thrown at him. 

"The guy managing your show tonight," retorts a straight-faced Jamke, who turns his back on the four, walking inside, "now follow me, we got your preparations ready, a crew will be out to retrieve your percussion and whatnot."

As if in a single-file safety-style line, the four members of Weissritter trailing behind the event organizer. At first, the path is borderline terrifying, with only non-functioning or flickering lights present. Fortunately, the scary part ends as soon as Jamke shows them to a more appropriate room. It's... surprisingly high quality, with newly installed fixtures, comfortable furniture, and even a table full of snack favors and beverages for the four to dig into. 

All of them waste no time in discarding whats on their person and taking a chair each, with the exception of Quan, who splays himself onto a couch. 

"Not too shabby..." mumbles Arvis, whose fixated with the presentation of just... a single room. For the guy whose been ragging on Verdane and their Genoa theater for so long, it's shocking that he's impressed whatsoever. 

"I have to say, they went in pretty hard for all of us," states Eldigan, taking hold of his first prize: a can of ginger ale, "unexpected for first-timers like us." With a satisfying click and fizzle, Eldigan immediately goes to town on the can he was given. Guess him and Sigurd didn't take too many pit-stops for refreshments. 

"Whew, you guys just wake me up when we're ready to roll, spending a car ride with Debby Downer over there exhausted me," Quan says, crossing one leg over the other while already shutting his eyes.

"Oh go suck a fat one," retorts Arvis, whose harsh phrase goes against the snide smile on his face. Although Eldigan is presented as the most professional of the group, Arvis is definitely the most down-to-earth, 'no fun' guy. He used to be way worse about this whole friendly teasing thing, but over time he's at least warmed up to these three. 

Noticeably, a familiar occurrence happens again. Three of the four start shooting the shit, while one has left himself to be silent, absorbing the atmosphere. However, unlike the moment of silence before rehearsals, no one looks to snap Sigurd out of his trance this time.

The lead guitarist would be looking down to the ground with a look of bewilderment again. The thought has struck him, "we're finally going somewhere." The fact that he'll finally be able to be one step closer to accomplishing his dream is just settling in, and he can't say he's anything but overwhelmed with excitement. No, not just his dreams, but everyone in this room's dreams are one step closer to being complete. 

"Guys, you feeling what I am right now?" asks Sigurd, looking towards his bandmates with a blank expression, his body language practically unreadable.

"Excited as hell, wanting to be on that stage with what we got, for all the world... or at least Verdane, to see?" he asks, his leg tapping the ground rapidly. If he were to be honest with himself, he only wants to be on the big stage right now. He's here for the music, so having to wait around without a note being played might drive him nuts. The wait should only be a few hours, but they might be the longest few hours of Sigurd's life.

"I feel you," says Arvis, whose been silently munching on little cheeses, "If we had to have it our way, we'd be out there right now in front of a big crowd, but yeah, we gotta do this part too."

"Least we can do is find a way to kill time, like Quan over there," requests Eldigan, who points to an already out of it Quan. When Quan said he was tired, he certainly meant it.

Kill time they... didn't. The next few hours were filled with awkward banter, the only movement being if one had to locate the restroom or to confirm their equipment with Jamke. Occasionally, one of Jamke's two, equally unkempt, brothers would come around to do some heavy lifting. Cimbaeth and Munnin were his brothers, the latter being the one that Sigurd had organized the event with. Most exciting part was making sure everyone's instruments were in tune.

That same, resonating thought polluting their minds kept the hours slogging. That yearning to be under the lights. That yearning for the world, at least in their minds, to be focused on them, countless eyes focused on their efforts. Not much would be said between the three awake band members, their heads all to occupied with what was to come. 

Then suddenly, it was go time.

"Oi, get your stuff together and get on deck, your crowd's just about poured in," states Jamke, whose tone is especially loud just to make sure a certain sleeping beauty catches wind as well. Eldigan would go to lightly nudge Quan for reassurance, the brunet slowly rising to his feet at a surprisingly fast pace. With all of them present and conscious, the guitarists and bassist grab their gear and get moving. Fortunately for their awakened drummer, his weight was light, just involving sticks. The trip towards the stage exits / entrances was short, Jamke putting the four towards a harsh stop once they reach it. From here, the band can see their crowd, but not vice versa.

It's a small crowd. It'd be a crowd of a hundred if they were generous enough with their numbers, but that's perfectly fine. Once again, it's a start. With the crowd in sight, Sigurd's the first to peek around. However, instead of mentioning the smaller size, Sigurd mentions something a little different.

"...Is that Adean?" Sigurd asks quietly, motioning at least one person to confirm it for him, pointing to the assumed woman's position.

"I... think that is," says Arvis, who seems equally as shocked, "who'd have thought Miss Piety herself would come to this because, don't forget, rock'n'roll's the work of the devil after all." The joke lands pretty well, a couple snickers being heard amidst his bandmates.

One thing Arvis himself would especially notice, just a few rows from Adean, is her secret admirer. Better known as his own brother, Azelle. However, he both hopes no one notices and that he doesn't have to talk about it. It's... peculiar that he'd attend, is all Arvis can think on the matter.

"I'm surprised you two missed someone a little more noteworthy," states Eldigan, "right next to her is your sister, Sigurd." 

"She made it!?" Quan exclaims, being hushed by a chorus of shushing from the other three. The light scolding couldn't hide his excitement, of course. Guess that's the inspiration Quan needed to get himself in performing shape. Seems odd for him to not know about his date's appearance beforehand. 

"Guess someone's getting special treatment backstage later..." whispers Eldigan, the faux pas in the statement not being realized until he looks up to see Sigurd's look of absolute disgust. Their banter is cut short once the ringing of a microphone and familiar voice booms through the theater.

"Welcome to the Genoa Theater," says Jamke, still dressed like an absolute mess in front of various pairs of eyes, "I'd like to thank you all for coming here. I'm sure from your programs that you're aware of whose performing and what, so, without further ado, the Genoa Theater of Verdane would like to welcome to Weissritter to the stage."

Jamke would affix the microphone back to it's hold, nearly bolting offstage as if he just didn't want to be there. Once he's left, that's the only cue the band has to enter onstage.

Finally, the excuse to let out the energy all four of them had been feeling. Their entrance is nothing too flashy, all four just walking onstage to their positions. Sigurd would be waving with a single hand, Quan would be raising both arms in a 'lets make some noise' sort of gesture, while the other two would be a bit more focused on getting to their spots.

As Sigurd had been walking past, he had been taking in the experience. The lights illuminating him as he had been gazed at by a sea of eyes. The urge to hop around and jump for joy having to be suppressed. The walk to the central microphone had felt like an eternity, with so much happening all at once. He's rehearsed this very scenario in his head for years, but those couldn't compare to being in the real thing. Once at the microphone, he can see his hand visibly shaking, his nerves threatening to undo him. Yet, his passions won't let him cower now, as the lead guitarist can't be decommissioned before anything even starts. His hand lands firmly on the microphone, Sigurd's mind blanking as soon as he brings it to his lips. Just a few seconds of silence feel like an eternity to him, but, soon enough, reason and his resolve come to him.

"So, I have to tell you Verdane," Sigurd says, a smile coming across his face, "we don't have much to say, so we're just gonna let the music do the talking for us." With that phrase out of the way, Sigurd plants the microphone back into it's home, himself bringing up his guitar. It takes just a single riff of his guitar, a couple of stick clanks from Quan, and head nods from Eldigan and Arvis, the show gets on the road.

A ten song repertoire is what they had decided on, each being just over three minutes. It'd accumulate to just a short concert, and when the band's actually in action, the time flies by. That doesn't mean that they don't all feel the exhilaration from the scenario, their mounds of energy present in their performances. The applause after each song, some genuine rowdiness from the crowd, and the fact that their hard work is out there, drives each member to outdo themselves with the next piece. 

Of course, the performance isn't perfect. A couple of misspoken lyrics here, some whiffed drumlines there, and of course some suspect notes. However, to the crowd, those matters don't matter to much, because each performer ignores any fallacies and moves on. The exhaustion from constant movement doesn't hit them, the pure adrenaline coursing through their veins keeping them to push forward. 

When their final song, "Holy Knight" has finished, the world collides with the band, their show now officially being over. They all look up from their occupations, looking towards a crowd or roaring fans. Each member concludes in a different way just as they entered. Sigurd waves wildly to the crowd, Quan raises his fist in the air, Arvis stands still with his head held high, and Eldigan... bows. The group can only revel for so long before Jamke, unfortunately, has to give them the boot. As they all begin their exit, Sigurd takes notice of something.

A girl in the way back, of all things, catches his eye. Long lavender hair and a sundress, looking more like someone who should be attending Woodstock as opposed to a rock concert. Her demeanor is controlled, sitting down and clapping slowly with a wide, warm smile on her face. It's all Sigurd can make out of the girl, but something about it hits him like a sword through the chest. The clattering around him and his peripheral vision go blank, the world seeming to move in slow motion. He doesn't know why, but he's just so fixated on her that he can't even move his legs. It's not until Quan yanks on his arm that he actually snaps out of it.

"What's wrong with you dude, we gotta get out," Quan says, his tone being serious and exhausted for a change. Sigurd looks him in the eyes with a blank stare, his head turning back to see the girl's seat completely empty, with no trace of her exit left behind. With that knowledge in mind, Sigurd hesitantly joins his friends to the backstage, ready to get out and cash into their hotel later in the night. 

God, what just got into him there?

He doesn't know, but soon, he's going to find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ay i said i was gonna update this hopefully weekly / biweekly but stuff happened. it's been three months but im here to let y'all know that this is still kickin'. can't put up a big slate for releases yet but, i'm not letting this die just yet. sorry for the wait for anyone following it.


	3. That's a Wrap!

Well, they did it.

Ignoring the shoddy venue, remote area, and smaller crowd, Weissritter had finally gotten off the ground and exposed their music to the world, and that's what matters. Even better so, it seems like they were a hit, since the crowd hadn't left and roared with the applause of an assembly twice its size towards the end of the show. Needless to say, the excitement would resound through the band's members.

"Whoo!" shouts Quan, who'd walk into the break room with his hands raised. Already in the room were Arvis and Eldigan, the former leaned on a recliner in exhaustion, the latter standing with his head held high. Behind Quan was the supposed star of the group, Sigurd, who would walk in with a borderline unreadable expression. 

"I'm happy that we killed it out there but," states Arvis, who keeps his head pointed towards the ceiling, "I didn't expect to be this beat by it." His tone is raspy, understandable for a vocalist after such a slog. He'd put a hand on his head, feeling a good deal of sweat. Some of his bangs would find themselves in his face, the second guitarist just not having it in him to fix his current appearance. 

"And that was, and probably will be, our shortest performance too," says Eldigan, who'd opt to lean against the nearest wall, himself not faring any better against exhaustion. 

"I can't see how you guys are ready to crash, I still got the adrenaline running through my veins," says Quan, who stands triumphantly by the doorway. It takes a few seconds for him to realize, once again, that Sigurd behind him had been relatively quiet. Hell, when they were to exit, he noticed his blue haired compatriot had been in La La Land instead of focusing on their retreat. Quan turns around to see Sigurd silently hovering behind him, not really forcing an entrance. 

"Anyhow, Sigurd, buddy, mind explaining what your spaceout was about?" he asks, his tone a tad commandeering. Quan's not exactly upset, he's just extremely curious as to why Sigurd would have acted so strange towards the end. It couldn't have been nerves, simply because one doesn't get nerves when their performance ends. 

Sigurd simply shakes his head lightly and walks past, his hands planted firmly on his hips. The silence hangs in the air for a few seconds, all three pairs of eyes on Sigurd. He simply starts to tap his foot against the ground, his face contorting to an expression of discomfort. Almost as if he's going to try find an excuse.

"It's nothing," Sigurd says, lowering his head so his eyes meet the ground, "I guess the reality of our situation just kinda crashed on me and I didn't know how to respond, so I just sorta, flatlined." He's not one to tell lies whatsoever, especially to his friends and partners, but he really doesn't want to explain he went stupid because he saw a cute girl in the crowd. In reality, if he weren't exhausted as well, he wants to jump for joy and scream to the heavens with what little volume his vocal chords could muster. 

"Makes sense," says Eldigan, who'd move beside Sigurd to put a hand on his shoulder, "I'm a little lost on what to say mysel-" Before Eldigan could finish, the break room would be pierced by a newly familiar tone.

"Hey, you guys," states the wary manager, Jamke, whose barely poking his head in through the doorway. The sudden intrusion nearly shocks Quan into shutting the door on Jamke's head, but fortunately, someone's avoided a concussion.

"Good work out there," he says, now entering the room in full, "really brought the house down." Just like that, the manager of the theater would turn tail and skedaddle, but not before gaining a follower.

"Wait!" exclaims Sigurd, who'd just about bolt out of the room to catch up, but not before updating the crew, "I'll catch you guys at the hotel later!" Just like that, the room has only three active members of it, all with dumbfounded looks on their faces.

"What do y'all think that was about?" asks Quan, turning to face Eldigan and Arvis. They're all obviously a bit spurred by Sigurd's odd behavior, so that's a present elephant in the room.

"I'd hope it's just to negotiate something, like better pay and maybe a connection to a better venue," states Arvis, whose resorted to taking a lukewarm soda can and rubbing it against his forehead to fight his body heat. Eldigan merely shrugs at the matter, taking a few steps towards the door.

"Well, I'll just ask him about it tomorrow, but for now I think we can agree retiring to our hotel is a good idea," he says, having to squeeze past Quan to get a foot out the door, "we can retrieve our instruments and such then as well, and the hotel's within walking distance from here, so I don't think we have to worry about Sigurd getting lost." 

"Ay, I get to join you in that nice car of yours Eldigan, I swear I never get to ride with you in that thing," Quan states, wrapping a firm arm around the blond in mention and shooting him a devious smile. Eldigan sighs in defeat, ready to speak up about the ride situation, but not before someone else speaks before he gets a chance to.

"You two go on ahead, I'm going to stay behind a bit," Arvis says, standing upright, "I'll take the van by myself, and wait around for Sigurd."

"Oh, shit, really?!" exclaims Quan, who practically pops off at the proposition, pointing a finger at Arvis, "I take back what I said earlier, you're the best dude." Just like that, the two leave, leaving Arvis alone to his own devices.

* * *

"What is it that you want?" asks Jamke, whose positioned with his hands on his hips at the back exit door. From the look of things, he's not pleased with Sigurd having chased him during what is probably his only downtime for today. In the dim lighting, his expression of pure exasperation can practically be felt.

"Listen, this may be a total, utter shot in the dark but..." Sigurd says, a bit of a stammer to his speech. Sigurd, by every definition of the word, is nervous to ask a guy who reeks of apathy about something he had just seen in the crowd.

"There was a girl in the crowd, pink hair, looked straight outt-"

"Don't tell me you're using me as a middleman to help you stalk someone," interjects Jamke, whose flat tone of voice causes Sigurd to just go completely still. When it's put that way, Sigurd feels like an absolute weirdo in the span of just a few seconds. To chase after someone he thought was appealing after just a couple seconds of catching their face then going on an assumed goose chase for them is weird.

"...I have a feeling you won't let me go unless I give you some answers, so I'll keep it brief," states Jamke, who exhales a deep breath. 

"I only know one pink haired girl in this town, some sickly thing named Deirdre who was home-schooled through school, and I think works at a flower shop," he says, scratching his chin lightly, "and that's all I got." As usual, Jamke makes his appearances brief, and his exits briefer. He leaves right through the back exit, Sigurd not bothering to follow, since that looks like all he's going to get. He just stands by the exit for a couple moments, a little flabbergasted by what just happened. Despite all of Jamke's mannerisms saying that this would go this way, Sigurd for whatever reason thought this was going to take a little longer. 

With that information in mind, Sigurd retreats back into the hall he began his pursuit. If he were to head back on foot, he should at least get himself some refreshments to make the walk bearable. The hotel in mention is honestly just a five minute stroll, yet after such an fatiguing performance, even a short walk would feel like running a mile. As such, Sigurd returns to the wait room take his belongings back in hand, and finally catch up.

He knows in his soul that chasing after a girl after only getting a glimpse out of her is weird. It's weird, creepy, and makes him feel like a stalker all the same, but he cannot just shake the feeling that him and this Deirdre have to meet. He has no idea what his goal would be, or why he even wants to do such in the first place. Sigurd tries poking at his memory just a little more. Was she that visually stunning that he just wants to get another look, as if she was a night sky in the desert? Or is there something peculiar about seeing someone like that at a rock concert that he just has to find the answer to. At dawn tomorrow, he's going to leave for a flower shop in Verdane. As if him staying behind this night wasn't concerning enough to the members of the band, just wait until he disappears in the early morning.

* * *

A click of a lighter later, smoke is the one thing Arvis can see under the night sky. Arvis would be the first to tell you that he's the only member of the band that smokes, but he'd certainly back up why he does it. Out of the four, he always finds himself in the middle of mental dilemmas, the need for a quick break from it all being compulsory. He'd stated that he just needed this time to cool off and recollect himself to the others, but in all reality, the man had some ulterior motives behind staying back. The largest one being the presence of his brother in that crowd tonight, that mere glimpse he caught haunting his mind to this very minute. Arvis cannot fathom why Azelle would suddenly appear on short notice. Multiple theories run through his head, such as his brother wanting to spend more time with Adean, who had also inexplicably been in that crowd tonight. "No, that's too silly," he thinks, the woman's surprise appearance being something he knows Azelle would never account for. Unless Azelle was a psychopathic stalker and had traits unbeknownst to him but... that's honestly impossible. Yet, if Arvis knows his meek sibling well enough, he'd be seeing him soon enough.

If Arvis has one huge regret with his life, it would be never getting to know his own brother very well. Their father, Victor, was a philanderer with no parental instinct whatsoever. A man who only cared about what he was to drink and what woman he was to sleep with that day. Arvis' own birth was a little more planned, but Azelle had been born from a night their father shared with an escort. A bastard son, be it may. So, had their father given any positive attention, it was to Arvis. The opposite could be said for Azelle, however. Arvis never knew the full story, but he was extremely aware of the abuse Azelle would suffer every given day. Their father went out of his way to make sure that Azelle would be emotionally and physically compromised and from the looks of it, he succeeded, resulting in a frail boy, both in mind and body. Azelle is seven years younger than Arvis, meaning that while the older brother is doing well for himself in pursuit of music, the younger is still a kid in high school. The older being 24, the younger being 17. Someone impressionable and unsure of their future. 

Arvis finds himself going through his first cigarette pretty quickly, wracked with unease about the situation. While he's not what you'd call a chainsmoker, in times of stress like this, he can go through a handful. A few seconds later, the next cancer stick is lit and placed in his mouth, the man puffing out a ring of smoke. Almost as if on cue, he hears the clattering of footsteps against asphalt. Thinking that its just some passerby, he doesn't think much of it, until the steps stop, and the sound of murmuring can be heard. Raising an eyebrow, he wonders if he's to inspect the ordeal. From what little of the voice he can hear, he knows its too high pitched to be either Jamke or his brothers, so someone could be afoot. Being at the reserved parking space, its someone just around the corner, so out of sight. He takes the cigarette from his mouth, resting it between two fingers. 

"Who's there?" he asks in a deep, stern tone. He's keeping his tone low as to sound in charge, as being authoritative will make any suspicious activity less likely to occur. Immediately, whoever is hiding in the dark loses their composure. Arvis picks out a sharp gasp and the sound of someone landing, as if they jumped up in fear. A few more seconds pass, nothing of note happening after the jump. Despite the potential danger in the situation with an unidentified, cowardly individual, Arvis decides to take matters into his own hands. He walks towards the source of the noise, not caring about his own presence being loud or quiet like the other. Just after a couple of paces, Arvis is able to turn the corner, coming across a sight that shocks him more than any crook or corpse could have in the moment.

"Azelle!?" he exclaims, his voice echoing throughout the area. Honestly, it's been quite the long time since he's found himself raising his voice like that out of surprise. In front of him stands his brother, who had been leaned up against the wall. The boy is visibly shaking, ridden with fear and anxiety. Not only had he slipped into an event unknowingly, but here he is skulking around at such a dangerous time of day. Arvis shoots his brother a sharp glare, but only for a moment. It's obvious that the situation shouldn't be handled with anger or dumbfoundedness, as it is a very delicate one. Azelle practically shrinks into the wall he's leaned up against, having trouble looking Arvis in the face. 

"Tell me now, what are you doing here?" Arvis asks, taking a deep breath and looking back towards Azelle with a look of concern. Silence hangs in the air for the most uncomfortable few seconds of both of their lives, this interaction not being anticipated for the older brother. Azelle opens his mouth, not saying anything in a feeble attempt to find words at first. Eventually, the younger of the two speaks up.

"I-I ended up running into the guy who opened your show and, thought that maybe I could see you so, I asked if you were around and he directed me here," Azelle says, his tone extremely hushed. Had it not been a quiet night in Verdane, Arvis might have had to shake the boy to just get him to speak up. Of course, all things in this confounded studio revert back to Jamke, Arvis thinks to himself. Unbeknownst to him, the Verdanian music manager had also just gotten off of a conversation with Arvis's bandmate as well.

"OK, but what are you doing here, it's a school night, you should be at home," Arvis states, now dropping his cigarette to the ground and stomping it out prematurely. Arvis feels like he knows exactly what his brother is going to say next. That boy lives alone with their father now, still bearing the brunt of that horrid household. A place Arvis would never wish upon anyone, no matter how cruel. The fact that his kind brother is victim to it just sickens him. 

"I just wanted to see you, and I heard from people at school that they were headed to your show, so I thought joining them was the only way I'd be able to," Azelle states, keeping his head turned away from his brother, ironically not doing much of the seeing that he wishes to, "plus, I don't think dad would care if I never showed up back home." That last part forces Azelle to look dead at the asphalt below, looking downtrodden as ever. 

Azelle's words hit his older brother like a pillowcase of bricks to the temple. Arvis is stunned that his brother came all this way to see him, despite their relationship being nothing short of strained. One of the things that keeps Arvis up at night is the thought of being such a lackluster sibling. In a hellish environment such as their home life, siblings are to stick together, have each other's backs til the bitter end. Down in his heart, he loves Azelle, but cannot come to terms with how he was never there. Seeing the young boy in front of him making a move that puts him at so much risk... just to see him, puts Arvis at a loss. 

Arvis takes a step back from Azelle, crossing his arms and tapping his forearm with his fingers for a few moments. He brings a hand up to Azelle's chin, tilting it up so the brothers can finally look each other in the eyes. 

"Azelle..." Arvis mumbles, finding himself as the quiet one for once, "as much as I want to get you out of that hellhole, you have to understand that I just can't." He knows that's not what Azelle came to hear, but it's to shatter any illusion the younger brother had of escaping. It's the cruel reality that Arvis just cannot sustain the other. Plus, his younger brother is still in high school and his education could be a way out. He'll admit, Azelle is way smarter than he'll ever be, so he has a future in whatever he'd pursue. 

"I can house you in my hotel room for tonight," he says, now rubbing the back of his neck, "but you have to find a way back to Grannvale on your own." The one obstacle in that proposition is the fact that he shares his room with Eldigan, but he's sure the other would understand. After all, the entire band is aware of his upbringing. Arvis would notice that his brother has gone silent again, probably taking in his words. The two stand there in silence again, the younger brother slowly yet surely straightening his posture. Very suddenly, however, the younger brother steps forward, pulling his older brother into a tight embrace. It catches Arvis very off guard, himself tensing up at first, but once the scenario paints itself, he grips Azelle back as hard as he can. He doesn't want to let go of his little brother, knowing full well that this moment will be one of a few moments of solace. Once the night passes and the sun rises, the other is to return back to his own personal nightmare. 

The two stay in each other's arms for what feels like forever, but in reality is only a minute. Despite the cheer and camaraderie of Weissritter, Arvis is well aware that all of them have their issues. His situation with Azelle is his, and Arvis feels as if its the heaviest baggage of the four. The hug's halt starts with Arvis, the older brother now turning his back to Azelle. It's not a cruel departure, of course, as Arvis motions for the other to follow him. Their destination is the rusty old van that carried him and Quan here, and its what'll get the two to their temporary home. Without word, they get into the vehicle, seated in the driver's and passenger's seats respectively. Arvis starts the car without hesitation, wishing to get to the hotel as soon as possible.

Sigurd can fucking walk, he's got bigger problems right now.

* * *

Being the dutiful type, Eldigan is the first one to his hotel room. Since he's typically seen as the bureaucratic one of the band, he made sure to reserve two doubles, just for cost efficiencies' sake. One for him and Arvis, the other for Sigurd and Quan. He has a slight inkling, however, that there will be at least a guest over in one of the suites. He simply prays that its not for his and Arvis' suite, because he really could just use the down time. His love for music is unbridled like the others, but he'll admit that he was the first to completely wear himself down. He's just not as high in energy as the others. At the very moment, though, he's been given alone time, considering that his suitemate is off to his own devices.

Eldigan kicks himself into his bed just about immediately, opting to rest his back and stare at the ceiling before getting too comfortable. Despite being completely fatigued, he's still in quite the high. The thought of that crowd roaring for music he helped create and preform... it's just astounding. That crowd could have just been his mother or sister hollering at the top of their lungs and he'd still feel this way. Needless to say, as much as his body is screaming at him to shut down, it'll be a while before he's able to go to bed. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, seems like he's got a bit of interruption to keep him awake.

_Brring! Brring!_

The sound of the hotel room phone pierces the air, doing more sudden damage to Eldigan's ears than the drums and guitars he was just exposed to. He mumbles a slight swear under his breath, sitting upright immediately. Before picking up the call, he has to wonder what its about. Did he mismanage something? Is there someone there to see him? He simply hopes its something positive. He picks up the phone, speaking in an exhausted tone.

"Hello?" he asks, his question immediately answered by an all too familiar voice.

"Eldi!" exclaims a girl's very excited voice.

There's no mistaking it, the voice behind the line is Eldigan's dear sister, Lachesis. If it weren't for the voice, he would have been able to pick out that it was her simply because she's the only person who calls him "Eldi." Well, the only person who does it consistently, because you know that the other members in the band give him shit for it. Especially Quan.

It doesn't come off as too big of a surprise to Eldigan that his sister would call. The two have a very strong bond, somewhat inseparable if it weren't for the fact that Eldigan travels so much. So, odds are one of is friends told Lachesis his location, since all she'd have to do is ask. Lachesis is definitely the type who'll always get what she wants, no matter what. Despite being much younger than Eldigan, being just fifteen, she's got quite the head on her shoulders. Eldigan thinks she definitely acts like a high school girl at times, but he'll admit she's matured well for someone that young. The two can hold up very personal conversations despite the age gap.

"It's late, Lachesis, what're you calling me for?" he asks, his tired voice probably sending its message to his sister.

"I just wanted to hear how your show went, Alva and his cronies won't stop til they find out either!" she exclaims, her voice coming off as kind of annoyed over the phone. Ah yes, Alva, Eve, and Eva. Not counting those in the band, Eldigan would consider those three some of his closest friends, as they're all very tightknit with him and his family. They all lead somewhat prestigious jobs, ones that keep them away from spending too much time off. Of course, though, they're interested in how he's doing with his own career.

To many, it's a large surprise that Eldigan even pursues music in a professional sense in the first place. In school, he was one of the top musical students, but he did so well academically in other places that some would have thought he'd be in search for a prestigious spot himself. Business, STEM, political science, or anything but strumming the bass and letting his passion loose. Eldigan had always wondered what his friends and family would think of him if they just saw him on stage. Hell, he knows that he let loose more emotion than ever on that stage, all sense of composure gone once the music started. He thinks he'd just start with bringing Lachesis to one of his events, perhaps in a nice highbrow place. His dream venue would probably be in Nordion, a small, rich community in Agustria, the town he grew up and lived before attending Belhalla Academy with the other members of the band. 

"I'll have you know that it went fantastically, we got a roar of applause and the whole nine yards," he says, a smile on his face. Of course she can't seem him emoting, but damn is it hard to keep the joy out of his system. Off in the distance, Eldigan can somewhat hear the chugging of a certain vehicle, putting a timeframe on this conversation.

"Great, great! You know I'm totally coming to your next one, no matter what, right?" Lachesis states, putting every ounce of confidence into her tone. She can definitely be a little pushy, but Eldigan would prefer that as opposed to someone meek. Even if she was a pushover, Eldigan would make sure to beat that out of her system, metaphorically.

"Oh, of course, don't you worry," he says with a light chuckle under his breath. While they do have an encore coming up in Verdane, he'd doubtful that she actually knows of that one. It was certainly a very crowd dependent thing. So, unless she figures that one out, he's got time to help schedule something for her. 

Just as he says those words, he hears a knocking at the door, inadvertently ignoring anything Lachesis might have said over the line.

"Sorry Lachesis, I have to go," he mumbles, hastily putting the phone back onto the receiver. As much as he'd love to keep talking with her, he has to confer with his bandmate first. However, the odd part about the situation is that Arvis just didn't waltz on in, and is preferring to knock. Was the other man scared of like, walking in on him naked? A lotta questions are present, but they'll only be answered if he gets the door, so that's Eldigan's course of action. He hurries on over to the door, whisking it open immediately. Arvis is there, as expected. However, what catches him off guard is the man's dire cowl, alongside a familiar young man at his side.

"Eldigan, we need to talk."

* * *

"Honey, I'm home!" exclaims Quan in a comedic tone. He had made an arrangement with Ethlyn before the performance that she'd be in their room first, somehwat keeping watch over it. Very fortunately for Quan, the two now have quite the ample time together before a certain blue-haired interference makes his way back. Ethlyn had been seated on Quan's bed, but not for long as she'd pop up to her feet and run to Quan, throwing her arms around him and planting a large kiss onto his lips.

"Hell of a show you all put on, I have to say, I got chills," Ethlyn says, keeping her arms wrapped around the other and looking toward him with a face of whimsy. Amidst the crowd, she was definitely the most raucous member, as she has just about worn herself down from hollering and jumping around. If she hadn't been dating Quan before they got the band together, she'd definitely be a bona fide groupie right now. Quan would split the embrace between the two, the drummer immediately going to his bed and falling onto it. He's exhausted and Ethlyn cannot help but laugh at how he presents the fact. 

"Babe, it was like magic being up there," Quan says, putting his hands to the air, "God, I just want to get up there again!" Magic is the only word Quan can really use to describe how the excitement of the stage felt. A completely otherworldly feeling taking over one's body like that just makes it impossible to really portray to someone else. As close as him and Ethlyn are, there's no feasible way he could think of describing it to her. Not to knock on his girlfriend or anything, but he doubts she's really been that excited at any point in her life.

"I can tell, you all really came alive," she states, taking a seat at the edge of the bed next to Quan, putting a light hand onto his leg, "I mean, even Eldigan managed to get the stick out of his butt, did you see how messed up he looked afterwards?" The two laugh in unison at her remark, a little lighthearted teasing hurting no one in this case. From a spectator's point of view, seeing a band come out and perform with such passion is incredible, as their energy can be contagious. It's why concerts move and groove as they do in the first place, as it's not only the music that brings an audience to life. Had Weissritter really came out and laid an egg when it comes to personality, their standing ovation would have been nowhere near as large as it was.

"Have to say, it was pretty attractive," she says, now moving her whole body as to lay her upper half onto Quan, "makes me wish you'd hit a different set of drums, if you catch my drift." The look she's exchanging to him is nothing short of sensual. As much as Quan would really love to make the bed rock right now, there's a good deal of reasons against it. Dejectedly, he sits himself up, lightly moving Ethlyn off of him. Quan loves Ethlyn with all of his soul, but he'll be the first to say that she can be reckless and lacks situational awareness at times. 

"Ethlyn, just gotta ask, you know your brother'll be back and that Eldigan and Arvis are right next door, right?" he asks with a hearty laugh coming right after. He's been away with the fellas for quite a while, so he doesn't blame Ethlyn for wanting a little bit of intimacy after getting just the slightest amount of time with him. However, risk way outweighs the reward. If Sigurd were to walk in on his sister and friend forming the beast with two backs, God knows what the hell would happen. Quan thinks that he plays the "I'm macking on your sister" card a bit too much as is on Sigurd. Despite Quan being in the same outfit he was in on stage, he really does just want to crash right now. Sometimes you have to opt for sharing a bed with someone in a more wholesome sense. Awkwardly, Quan moves himself under the covers, despite Ethlyn somewhat weighing down the bedding. Afterwards, he pats the space to his right, inviting the other to join him. Ethlyn wastes no time in taking up that offer, getting nice and cuddly under the covers. Takes no time for the two to get comfortable, until one pressing issue hits Quan. 

"Gah, shit, someone's gotta turn off the light," he says, sighing exceedingly loud, doing nothing but closing his eyes afterwards, "...eh, whenever Sigurd gets here, he can shut it off." 

Little would Quan know, that light wouldn't be turning off anytime soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! 
> 
> So you may be wondering, "Jesus Fucking Christ, do you update this once a year?"
> 
> Well, problem was my computer somewhat broke with a good portion of this chapter written, and I JUST got it back, so it's reasonably been a hot minute. Anyhow, I won't be updating this very often, as my motivation is super on and off (I don't hate this project, I indeed still love the premise, I'm just very lazy), but do expect chapters in the future.
> 
> This was definitely kind of a big-un for me, since I did intend to give a snippet into all the band members a bit separately. Arvis's and Azelle's section was definitely the part I thought about most when theorycrafting this one. Sigurd's is definitely the shortest, cause, well, he might have a whole chapter comin' up.


End file.
